RICHMOND, British Columbia — There have been bigger upsets in Olympic history, but for the U.S. long track speedskating team, it sure didn’t feel like it Friday afternoon.

“It feels like the miracle from 1980,” said U.S. skater Trevor Marsicano, referring to America’s hockey upset over Russia at the Lake Placid Games nine years before he was born.

The U.S. women upset the Canadian gold-medal favorites in the team pursuit, inspiring the men to pull off a similar surprise. The U.S. men then beat the Netherlands in the semifinals, assuring themselves of a medal.

Chad Hedrick, 32, teamed with three teenagers to lead the U.S. men to two victories, while Jennifer Rodriguez, 33, a two-time medalist skating in her fourth Olympics, led the women’s charge.

“We’ve got a great chance to do something special,” Hedrick said, “when a lot of people didn’t believe in us.”

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